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Topic: Farmhouse Cheddar (Read 3990 times)

We've been making mozzarella, ricotta and queso blanco type cheeses several years. Our first effort at a harder cheese was a total failure an I'm not sure why. I recently learned about a farm very close to my home that is selling raw cow and goat milk, so I've run out of excuses not to make more cheese. 3 gallons of milk and one pint of heavy cream is in the recipe for the next two farmhouse cheddar attempts. I found that my 15 gallon kettle holds a 5 gallon kettle to make a fairly good double boiler and holds temps over an hour or so pretty well. Here is some of the cut curd getting ready to drain and salt: This wheel is drying right now:This wheel was made onFebruary 10, very tasty, melts good, tastes great and is now half gone, 4lbs2ozs:

I'm looking forward to getting some sort of cheese cave and starting to play with real aged cheddar and some blue/stilton/roquefort type cheeses.

We think the flavor of our second and third attempts at this farmhouse cheddar cheese is good. We may toy with adding herbs to one in the near future. I think we need to get some newer cultures and another recipe book. Suggestions for a source or book? Thanks!

I wouldn't say quite good since I've never tried anyone's farmhouse cheddar. I didn't expect a real cheddar flavor in less than three months, but this also doesn't use a cheddaring technique. The cheese has a mild but noticeable sharpness to it. The recipe I used is here:http://www.leeners.com/cheese/recipes/cheddar1.shtml

Very Nice! It's awesome you have access to raw milk as many of our members do not. I can get it but it is pricey and a fair drive specially if during rush hour (both ways)....so most often I use H/P milk. It is amazing what a difference raw milk can make!

I have made a couple of caerphillys which are quick cheddar types. I have made regular cheddars and have tried them at various points in aging... a couple at 3 and 4 months which were decent but mild and kind of uninteresting. No surprise there... I broke another open at 6 months which was much more cheddar like and comparable to a medium cheddar. I have a couple in the cave now that are going to go out a full year and have reached the midway point. I really like sharp cheddar and look forward to breaking those open.

Love making cheddars and those have been my focus for improving my process